The 1st newly build submarine, S101 SAS Manthatisi, was launched on the 15th of June 2004, commissioned on the 3rd of November 2005 and arrived at Simonstown on the 7th of April 2006.

S102, SAS Charlotte Maxeke, was launched on 4 May 2005, commissioned on the 14th of March 2007 and arrived on the 22nd of April 2006. 

S103, the 3rd and final submarine, was launched on the 31 October 2006, commissioned on the 31st of January 2008, and the SAS QUEEN MODJADJI I arrived in Simonstown on the 22nd of May 2008. 

All 3 submarines bear female names – each of a woman who played an important role in South African history. 

The Crew

Cdr Andrew Souma was given a Command Directive as OC, SAS QUEEN MODJADJI I during October 2007.  A crew was identified and in preparation for delivery, workup training began.  Training was conducted onboard the SAS Manthatisi where Cdr Souma was appointed as “Temporary in Command” of SAS Manthatisi.  By the end of October 2007, the crew completed the workup training and evaluation and received certification as “fully competent”.  The crew left for Kiel in Germany in early January 2008 and started preparations for the handover on the 31st of January 2008 and thereafter the crew prepared the submarine to South African Navy standards in under 10 days.  The SAS QUEEN MODJADJI I then sailed for sea training, German operational training and South African Navy sea inspection.  She completed all phases and was certified BLOC before entering a maintenance phase. 

The SAS QUEEN MODJADJI I left Kiel on the 22nd of April for Simonstown.  En-route she stopped in the port of Rota, Spain before continuing the journey to South Africa with an average depth of 50 meters. 

As part of the 36 man crew, were two special crew members.  Petty Officer Candice Chetty made history when she became the 1st female submariner to qualify for the coveted SA Navy submarine badge.  She served as a chef onboard the SAS QUEEN MODJADJI I on her maiden voyage. Lance Corporal M.J. Mushi is a member of the South African Military Health Service (SAMHS).  He too, qualified as a SA Navy submariner during the delivery voyage of the SAS QUEEN MODJADJI I..  Corporal Mushi serves as the Operational Emergency Care Practitioner and will be the 2nd SAMHS member to qualify as a submariner onboard a South African Navy submarine.

S103 SAS Queen Modjadji I